Despite the club’s current financial situation, Barcelona still serves as home to some of the best players in La Liga, not to mention some ofthe best young talents in world football. With this in mind, it’s very easy to see why so manyFIFA 23players like playing as the Catalan club in EA’s sports latest simulation game, though the best setup for Barcelona is a little less obvious.
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Trying to shoehorn all of the club’s best attacking players into the starting lineup is far from easy, particularly when using the default 4-3-3 Holding formation. However, with a little bit of tweaking here and there and a touch of trial and error, players will be able to find the best formation and starting eleven for Barcelona inFIFA 23.
The Best Formation for Barcelona in FIFA 23
The best formation for Barcelona inFIFA 23will likely vary a little from player to player depending on their preferred playing style. That said, its ability to accommodate both a pacy forward and a big target man up top makes the seldom-used4-2-4formation a solid choice here. Not every team inFIFA 23can make use of this highly offensive setup, but Barcelona’stop-tier midfieldersare among a very small number who are capable of pulling off a two-man midfield.
The Best Starting 11 for Barcelona in FIFA 23
Playing with two strikers allows players to use bothDepayandLewandowskiup top, the latter of whom is one ofFIFA 23’s very best forwards. Sadly, Busquets' lack of mobility makes him a poor choice for this formation, making FranckKessiéthe best option to partnerDe Jongin the center of the pitch. Players may opt to swap out the former for Pedri, but Kessié’s superior defensive ability will likely give him the edge in most players' eyes.DembéléandRaphinacomplete the attack.
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Across the back four,AlbaandKoundépretty much pick themselves, though where exactly players should put the latter is a little less straightforward. Playing him at right back would make room for the height and experience of Pique in the center, but the long-serving Spaniard’s lack of pace ultimately proves problematic in this setup. Christensen’s hardly the most mobile of players either, so it’s arguably best to playBellerinon the right and pair Koundé withAraujoin the center. Thankfully, as one ofthe best goalkeepers inFIFA 23,ter Stegenis an easy pick in between the sticks.
Tactics and Instructions
When it comes to defense style, players should opt to press after possession loss and will want to go with fast build-up play to get the ball forward and into the attacking positions as quickly as possible. Chance creation should be based on possession, and players should be sure to adjust the team’s attacking width to somewhere between 70 and 80 so as to prevent the center of the pitch from becoming too congested when the team ventures into the final third.
As for instructions, players will need both wingers to drop back and defend when needed and both should be instructed to stay out wide to prevent them from getting in the way of the strikers. Likewise, Depay and Lewandowski should both stay central, though the former should be told to run in behind while the latter serves as a traditional target man. Finally, Kessie should be discouraged from going forward during attacks to avoid leaving the defense too exposed.
FIFA 23is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
